The town was tranquil. Apart from the headlights of passing cars on the highway and their roaring engines, it was a quiet place, as serene as a still autumn pond, without a ripple in sight.
However, the town's streetlights had gone out, leaving a trail of darkness. Not until the silhouette of a girl disappeared at the crossroads did the lights flicker back on.
Jason was sitting in his room, pushing open the window with a thought and gesturing towards a black cat. The feline sprang nimbly from the window, darting across rooftops, and quickly vanished into the night. As the lights flicked off and on, the streets soon became deserted.
The black cat moved like a ghost in the night, but it was a devil's bane. Legend has it that a cat's eyes can store the sun's rays, making their eyes shine in the darkness.
The girl, in her dazzling white dress, was walking down the dark road when the black cat suddenly leaped down from a tree, its eyes glowing as if possessed by a spirit. It meowed and raised its tail, stopping her in her tracks.
With a sharp scream, the girl recoiled, her hands covering her face as she collapsed in fear.
Just as she was about to fall, a figure emerged from the shadows, catching her by the waist. The figure vanished into the night as quickly as it appeared, just before the streetlight shone again.
After a quick glance around, the black cat took off into a tree, disappearing into the night. When the cat was gone, the streetlights flickered on, as if nothing had happened, leaving the scene just as quiet as if no one had been there.
Bathed in the piercing white light, the girl slowly opened her eyes, seeing the blurry form of a person in front of her. She quickly sat up and asked, "Why are you here? Jason—what are you doing?" She looked at her clothes, then back at Jason, instinctively crossing her arms over her chest.
"Don't flatter yourself. I'm not interested in you." Jason snapped his fingers, and the black cat jumped out from nowhere, landing on Jason's shoulder. Its meow made the girl shiver as if she'd remembered something, and she stared at Jason wide-eyed.
"You… you've been stalking me?" She accused, staring at Jason.
Jason merely shrugged. "No need for that. But I can see that the townsfolk are afraid of you. You're different. Do you know why?"
Hearing Jason's words, the girl shook her head in confusion. "I don't know. I was born this way. They always say that I wander around at night like a ghost, causing things to malfunction, like the streetlights. Actually, I don't remember any of this. They tell me what's happening, and I believe them. Because of this, my father left when I was fifteen."
"Did he die?"
"No, he just ran away. He couldn't handle it. Before leaving, he told me that all of this was my damn mother's fault. He didn't leave because he didn't want to take care of me, but because he couldn't." The girl sighed, "After I finished high school, I moved out of my uncle's house where I was staying and moved into my old house. Thank God, my father, at least, had the decency to leave the house to me and even pays the property tax every year."
"Have you seen him since?" Jason asked calmly.
"No, he's been avoiding me. As if I'm some dreadful plague!" The girl said, not in anger, but with a hint of indifference. This was a stark contrast to the cheerful and playful girl Jason had previously met. They might as well have been two different people.
"Listen, Denise. People fear you because you're extraordinary. And that makes you lonely." Jason looked at her, continuing, "Do you know why you're special? Do you know why I came across you? It's like everything was arranged."
"Arranged? That's impossible!" Denise Dean immediately dismissed the idea. "I've gotten used to this life. It's not a big deal. If they're afraid of me, then I'll be alone."
Jason shook his head. "If we were in the Middle Ages, you'd be burned at the stake."
"Burned at the stake?" Denise suddenly jumped up, glaring at Jason, "Shut up, I'm no heretic, I'm just a girl."
"Then... which girl can turn off streetlights while walking?" Jason asked with a chuckle, "You're no ordinary girl. To the clerics of the Middle Ages, you'd be a prime candidate for the stake."
"This can't be... Oh my God!" At first, the girl vehemently denied it, but when Jason showed her a video on his phone, she gasped in shock.
"How could this be... They never told me." She clamped her hand over her mouth. She'd meant to crack a joke to lighten the mood, but now she was speechless.
"They're afraid of you and keep their distance, so they won't tell you anything," Jason put away his phone, observing the girl thoughtfully. "I want to figure out what kind of spirit is residing within you," he added, leaning in to examine her face.
"What... what kind of spirit is inside me?" Denise shrank back from Jason's sudden closeness, moving away and curling up on the edge of the bed, watching Jason warily. "I don't sleep with strangers, and... I don't think we know each other very well..."
Jason paused, amused by her words, and leaned in further, causing Denise to scream and draw in on herself, glaring at him.
"Ha—don't be ridiculous. Are you uncomfortable with sleeping with strangers? Come on, girl, you're clearly a virgin." Jason gave her a mocking look, dismissing her. He pulled back and settled comfortably on the nearby couch.
"How do you know..." Denise started, then jumped up in surprise, yelling at Jason and throwing whatever was at hand towards him. "You... you took advantage of me and peeked at me? You despicable little... scoundrel!"
With a wave of his hand, all the objects Denise had thrown froze in mid-air. With a flick of his fingers, everything returned to its original spot.
Startled, Denise gaped at Jason, unable to believe what she had just witnessed. "My God... I... I must be seeing things, this... this can't be possible," she stammered, reaching out to grab something else to throw.
"Hold on, Denise. If you throw anything else, I promise you, it's going to end up hitting you in the face," Jason warned her sternly. Only then did she finally put down what she was holding.
"Are you a magician?" Denise asked cautiously.
Jason shook his head.
"Then... are you a mutant? Like Magneto..."
"Does Magneto manipulate glass cups?" Jason retorted.
"Oh, right. Then you must be... anyway, you must be a mutant!" Her fear dissipated somewhat, and Denise grew more curious, forgetting to pursue whether Jason had taken advantage of her.
"Do you want to know why I know you're a virgin?" While she didn't mention it, that didn't mean Jason wouldn't.
"Alright, I'm listening!" Denise grumbled, her face turning sour.
Jason nodded. "Because... everyone is afraid of you. Do you think anyone believes you should have a boyfriend? I don't think you should. It's a simple deduction, really."
"Oh, God, how could you say..." Denise began, but cut herself off. She looked like a deflated balloon as she sighed, "Alright, you win. You're right, I'm a monster."